Chapter 16
The Resurrection of Jesus
16 And when the sabbath was past, …
Saturday is over
…Mary Mag′dalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salo′me, …
The first witnesses were women
…bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
A burial practice
2 And very early on the first day of the week…
It’s now Sunday
…they went to the tomb when the sun had risen.
Pun unintended 😉
3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?”
I thought women were planners? 😉
4 And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large.
This was not so that Jesus could get out, rather that they could get in!
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed.
An angel
6 And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him…
This is good news!
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.”
Note that Peter is explicitly called out.
Jesus previously said that He’d see them in Galilee.
8 And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; …
Typically happens when you see an angel and when someone has been raised from the dead…
…and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.
What?! They’ve been told to proclaim it and now they keep quiet?!
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, …
Sunday morning
…he appeared first to Mary Mag′dalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
Mary was the first witness to the resurrection. A lot of lore has built up around Mary, but this is one of the few Scriptural details we have about her – Jesus performed an exorcism on her.
One could see significance in the fact that it was seven demons, both in the fullness of her cleansing, but also in the related to its universal nature and mentioned here at the Resurrection.
10 She went out and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
Mary was the first evangelist!
11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
…aaaaand no faith.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.
This is the Road to Emmaus
13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
…aaaaand no faith.
Jesus Commissions the Disciples
14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; …
Is it significant that Jesus appears to them at mealtime? You betcha!
Note that it’s “the eleven” since Judas has not yet been replaced.
…and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.
Comes back from the dead and tells them off!
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation…
Mark’s account of the Great Commission.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Notice the centrality of faith and baptism. We see this pattern repeated in Acts.
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
A foretelling of many of the events in Acts.
The Ascension of Jesus
19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
Mark’s account of the Ascension
20 And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen
The signs which were just mentioned were fulfilled.